Byzantine Blog

Old Serbian Fairy Tale

Ninth Peacock

Once upon a time there lived a great king who had three sons. Now, before the king's palace grew a tree of solid gold apples, which in one and the same night blossomed, bore fruit, and lost all its fruit, though no one could tell who took the apples. One day the king, speaking to his eldest son, said, “I should like to know who takes the fruit from our apple tree!”

And the eldest son said, “I will keep guard tonight, Your Majesty, and will see who gathers our apples.”

So when the evening came he went and laid under the apple tree, upon the ground to watch. Just, however, as the apples started to ripen, he fell asleep and when he awoke in the morning there was not a single apple left on the tree. Whereupon he went and told his father what had happened.

Then the second son offered to keep watch by the tree, but he had no better success than his eldest brother.

So the turn came to the king's youngest son to keep guard. He made his preparations, brought his bed under the tree, and immediately went to sleep. Before midnight he awoke and looked up at the tree, and saw how the apples ripened, lighting up the whole garden and the majestic palace with their dazzling brightness.

At that moment there was a soft rustle of velvety wings and nine golden peacocks flew towards the tree. Eight of them fell upon the apple tree, but the ninth alighted on the young prince's bed and turned instantly into a beautiful girl -- so beautiful, indeed, that the whole kingdom could not produce one who could in any way compare with her.

She gently smiled and hugged the dazed prince and they kissed and caressed each other till after midnight. As the dawn approached, the girl prepared to leave, thanking the prince for the golden apples. He begged her to leave him at least one apple to take to his father. She gave him two, one for himself and one for the king. Then the girl turned again into a peacock, and flew away with the other eight. In the morning, the king's son took the two apples to his father, and the king was much pleased, and praised his son.

When the evening came, the king's youngest son took his place again under the apple tree to keep guard over it. Again the nine golden peacocks came, the eight of them settling in the branches of the apple tree and the ninth one flew to his bed. They again kissed and hugged each other like the night before, and in the morning brought to his father two apples of solid gold as before.

But, after he had succeeded so well several nights, his two elder brothers grew envious because he had been able to do what they could not. At length they found an old woman, who promised to discover how the youngest brother had succeeded in saving the two apples each night. So, as the evening came, the old woman stole softly under the bed which stood under the apple tree, and hid herself. And after a while, came also the king's youngest son, and laid himself down as usual to sleep. When it was near midnight the nine golden peacocks flew up as before, and eight of them settled on the branches, and the ninth stood on his bed, and turned into a most beautiful girl.

When the young prince and the peacock girl hugged each other, the old woman slowly took hold of one of the girl's braids, and cut it off, and the girl swiftly rose up in fear, changing again into a luminous peacock and flew away without a word, and the other peacocks followed her, and so they all disappeared.

Brokenhearted, the king's son jumped up and cried out, “What is that?” and, looking under the bed, he saw the old evil woman, and drew her out. Next morning he ordered her to be tied to a horse's tail, and so torn to pieces. But the peacocks never came back, so the king's son wallowed in sadness day in and out, and wept at his loss.

Finding no comfort and losing all hope his golden peacock girl will ever come back to him, he decided to go and look after her, resolving never to come back again unless he should find her. When he told the king his father of his intention, the king begged him not do go away, and told him that he would find him another beautiful girl, and that he might choose the bride out of the whole kingdom.

But all the king's persuasions were useless, so the prince went into the world taking only one servant to serve him, to search for his peacock on the sea and on the ground, in the mountains and on the plains throughout the vast world.

Magic Bellows

One day, after many travels, he came to a lake. Now by the lake stood a large and beautiful palace. In the palace lived an old woman as queen, and with the queen lived a girl, her daughter. Tired of the long roads and weary of the places where no one knew about the golden peacocks, the prince pleaded with the old woman, “For heaven's sake, grandmother, do you happen to know anything about nine golden peacocks?”

And the old woman answered, “My dear son, - said the old queen, - I know all about them. They come every midday to bathe in this very lake. But what do you want with them? Let them be. Think nothing about them. Here is my daughter -- such a beautiful girl! And such an heiress! All my wealth will be yours if you marry her.”

But the prince suddenly awash with joy, burning with desire to see the peacocks, would not listen to the old woman any more, nor take a second look at her daughter.

Next morning, when day dawned, the prince prepared to go down to the lake to wait for the peacocks. Then the old queen bribed the servant and gave him a little pair of bellows, saying, “Take these bellows and when you come to the lake you must blow secretly with them behind the prince's neck, so he will fall asleep and will not be able to speak to the peacock-girl.”

The crooked servant did as the old woman told him. When he went with his master down to the lake, he took occasion to blow with the bellows behind his neck, and the poor prince fell asleep just as though he were dead.

Shortly after, the nine golden peacocks came flying, and eight of them alighted by the lake, but the ninth flew towards the prince as he sat on horseback, and caressed him, and tried to awaken him. “Awake my darling! Awake, my heart! Awake, my soul!”

But for all that he knew nothing, just as if he were dead.

After they had bathed, all the peacocks flew away together, and just as they were gone the prince woke up, and said to his servant, “What has happened? Did they not come?”

The servant told him the nine golden peacocks had been at the lake, and that eight of them had bathed, but the ninth sat by him on his horse, and caressed and tried to awaken him. And when the king's son heard all this, he was so angry that he almost killed himself in his rage.

Next morning he went down to the lake shore again to wait for the peacocks, and he rode about a long time till the servant again found an opportunity of blowing with the bellows behind his neck, so that he again fell asleep as though dead. Hardly had he fallen asleep before the nine golden peacocks came flying, and eight of them alighted by the water, but the ninth settled down by the side of his horse and caressed him, and cried out to awaken him, “Arise, my darling! Arise, my heart! Arise my soul!”

But it was of no use. The prince slept on as if he were dead. Then she said to the servant, “Tell your master tomorrow he can see us here again, but nevermore.”

With these words the peacocks flew away. Immediately after, the king's son woke up and asked his servant, “Have they not been here?”

And the man answered, “Yes, they have been, and the one that settled down by the side of your horse trying to wake you up said that you can see them again tomorrow at this place, but after that they will not return again.”

When the sorrowful prince heard that, he knew not what to do with himself, and in his great trouble and misery tore the hair from his head.

The third day he went down again to the shore but, fearing to fall asleep, instead of riding slowly, galloped along the shore. His servant, however, found an opportunity of blowing with the bellows behind his neck, and again the prince fell asleep.

A moment after came the nine golden peacocks, and the eight alighted on the lake and the ninth by him on his horse, and sought to awaken him, caressing him. “Arise, my darling! Arise, my heart! Arise, my soul!”

But it was of no use. The prince slept on as if dead. Then the peacock said to the servant, “When your master awakens tell him he ought to strike off the head of the nail from the lower part, and then he will find me.”

Thereupon all the peacocks fled away. Immediately the king's son awoke and said to his servant, “Have they been here?”

And the servant answered, “They have been, and the one which alighted on your horse ordered me to tell you to strike off the head of the nail from the lower part, and then you will find her.”

When the prince heard that, he drew his sword and cut off his servant's head.

Twelve Cellars

After that he traveled alone about the world, and, after long traveling, came to a mountain where he found an old hermit. The prince remained all night there and asked the hermit if he knew anything about nine golden peacocks.

The hermit said, "Eh, my son, you are lucky! God has led you to the right path. From this place it is only a half a day's walk. But you must go straight on, then you will come to a large gate, which you must pass through. And, after that, you must keep always to the right hand, and so you will come to the golden peacocks' city, and you will find their palace there."

So next morning the king's son arose, and prepared to go. He thanked the hermit, and went as the old man instructed him. After a while he came to the great gate and, having passed it, turned to the right, so that at midday he saw the city, and beholding how white it shone, rejoiced very much.

When he came into the city he found the palace where lived the nine golden peacocks. At the gate the prince was stopped by the guard who demanded to know who he was and whence he came. After he had answered these questions, the guards went to announce him to the queen.

When the queen heard who he was, she came running to the gate and took him by the hand to lead him into the palace. This was his young and beautiful maiden, and so there was a great rejoicing when, after a few days, he married her and remained to live there with her.

One day, some time after their marriage, the queen went out to walk, and her young husband remained in the palace. Before going out, however, the queen gave him the keys of twelve cellars, telling him, “You may go down into all the cellars except the twelfth -- that must on no account be open, or it will cost you your head.”

As he stayed by himself in the palace, the king's son began to wonder what could there be in the twelfth cellar, and soon commenced opening one cellar after the other.

When he came to the twelfth he would not open it at first, heeding his wife's warning, but again began to wonder very much why would he be forbidden to go in. “What could possibly be in this cellar?!” he exclaimed.

At last, he couldn't bear the bewilderment and opened the last cellar too. In the middle of the dark and damp cellar lay a big barrel with an open bung-hole, but bound fast round with three iron hoops. Just when the prince thought there really wasn't anything here worth the time or fear, a deep strong voice called on to him from the barrel, saying, “For God's sake, my brother, I am dying with thirst. Do a good deed and give me a cup of water!”

The king's son took a cup and filled it with water from a drum nearby, and emptied it into the barrel. While the last drops of water still hung upon the cup's rim, one of the iron hoops on the barrel burst asunder with the loud crack.

Again came the deep voice from the barrel, “For God's sake, my brother, I am dying of thirst. Do a good deed and give me a cup of water!”

The king's son filled the cup again and emptied it into the barrel. Instantly there was another loud crack and another iron hoop burst asunder.

The third time the deep, strong voice came out of the barrel, “For God's sake, my brother, I am dying of thirst. Do a good deed and give me a cup of water!”

The king's son again took the cup and filled it, and poured the water into the barrel, and the third iron hoop loudly burst. The barrel fell to pieces like it was built out of matchsticks, and a mighty dragon filled the cellar with his wings and flew out, catching the young queen on the road and carrying her away.

Fish, Fox and Wolf

The queen's servant who followed the queen on her walk, ran back breathlessly, telling the king's son what had happened. And the poor prince was grief stricken and knew not what to do with himself, so desperate was he, and full of self reproaches. He resolved to set out and travel through the world in search of his queen.

After long journeying, one day he came to a lake, and near it, in a little hole, he saw a little fish jumping about. When the fish saw the king's son, she began to beg pitifully, “For the love of God, be my brother, and throw me into the water. Some day I may be of use to you, so take a little scale from me and rub it gently when you need me.”

And the king's son lifted the little fish from the hole and threw her into the water, after he had taken one small scale, which he wrapped up carefully in a handkerchief.

Some time afterwards, as he traveled about the world, he came upon a fiery fox caught in an iron trap. When the fox saw the prince, she spoke, “For the love of God, be a brother to me, and help me get out of this trap. One day you will need me, so take a single hair from my tail, and rub it gently when you need me.”

And the king's son took a hair from the tail of the fox, and set her free.

As he crossed a mountain, the prince found a wolf fast in a trap, and when the wolf saw him, he spoke, “Be a brother to me! For the love of God, set me free, and one day I will help you. Only take a hair from me, and when you need me, rub it gently.”

So he took the hair, and set the wolf free.

After that, the king's son traveled about a very long time, till one day he met a man, to whom he said, “For God's sake, brother, have you ever heard where is the palace of the dragon king?”

The man knew about the dragon king's palace and gave him directions which way to take, and in what length of time he could get there. Then the king's son thanked him and continued his journey until he came to the city where the dragon king lived.

Once he arrived to the city, the prince went into the palace and found therein his wife, and both of them were exceedingly pleased to meet each other, and began to take counsel how to escape. They resolved to run away, and prepared hastily for the journey. When all was ready they mounted on horseback and galloped away.

As soon as they were gone, the dragon came home, also on horseback and, entering his palace, found that the queen had gone away. Then he said to his horse, “What shall we do now? Shall we eat and drink, or go at once after them?”

The horse answered, “Let us eat and drink first. We shall catch them anyway. Do not worry, master.”

After the dragon king had dined, he mounted his wind-fast horse, and in a few moments caught up with the runaways. He took the queen from the king's son and said to him, “Go in God's name! This time I forgive you, because you gave me water in the cellar. But if you value your life, do not come back here any more!”

The unhappy young prince went on his way a little, but could not long resist, so he came back the next day to the dragon king's palace, and found the queen sitting alone and weeping.

Then they began again to consult how to get away. And the prince said, “When the dragon comes, ask him where he got that horse, and then you will tell me so that I can look for such a horse too; perhaps in this way we can escape.”

He then went away, lest the dragon should come and find him with the queen.

By and by the dragon came home, and the queen began to pet him, and speak sweetly to him about many things, till at last she said, “Ah! what a fine horse you have! Where did you get such a splendid horse?”

And the dragon king answered, “Eh! The place I got it not everyone can get one! In such and such a mountain lives an old witch who has twelve horses in her stable, and no one can say which is the finest, they are all so strong and healthy and beautiful. But in the farthest corner of the stable stands a horse which looks as if he has leprosy but, in truth, he is the very best horse in the whole world. He is the brother of my horse, and whoever gets him may ride into the clouds and over the sky. But whoever wishes to get a horse from that old witch, must serve her for three days and three nights. She has a mare with a foal, and whoever during three nights keeps this mare and the foal for her, has a right to claim the best horse from the old hag's stable. But whoever promises to keep watch over the mare with the foal and fails will lose his head!”

A Kingdom for a Horse

Next day, when the dragon went out, the king's son came, and the queen told him all she had learned from the dragon. The prince went straight away to the mountain and found the old witch, and entered her house. “God help you too, my son!, - brayed the old woman. - What do you wish?”

“I would like to serve you,” said the king's son. Then the old woman said, “Weeeehll, my son, if you can keep my mare safe for three days and three nights, I will give you the best horse that you can choose for yourself. But if you do not keep the mare safe, you shall lose your head.”

Scuffing and limping, the old woman led the prince into the courtyard, where all around stakes were ranged. Each of them had a man's head on it, except for one stake which had no head on it, and wailed incessantly, "Oh, grandmother, give me a skull!"

The old woman showed all this to the prince, and said, “Look here! All these were heads of those who tried to keep my mare, and they have lost their heads for their pains!”

But the prince was not a bit afraid, so he stayed to serve the old woman. When the evening came he mounted the mare and rode her into the field, and the foal followed behind. He sat still on her back, having made his mind up not to dismount, so that he would never lose the sight of her. But before midnight he slumbered a little, and when he awoke he found himself sitting on a rail and holding the limp empty bridle in his hand.

Then he was greatly alarmed, and went instantly to look about to find the mare, and whilst looking for her, he came to a small pond. When he saw the water he remembered the little fish, and took the scale from the handkerchief and rubbed it a little. And immediately the little fish appeared, singing in its small voice, “What is the matter, my brother?”

And the prince replied, “The old woman's mare ran away with a foal whilst under my charge, and now I don't know where she is!”

And the fish answered, “She is here, turned to a fish, and the foal to a smaller one. But strike once upon the water with the bridle and shout, ‘Hey! mare of the old woman, here!’”

The prince did as he was told, and immediately the mare came with the foal, out of the water to the shore. Then he put the bridle back on her, mounted and rode away to the old woman's house, and the foal followed. When he got there the old woman said nothing and gave him his breakfast. But she took the mare into the stable and beat her with a poker, hissing, “Why didn't you go into the fishes, you damned mare?!”

And the mare answered, “I went into the fishes, but the fish are his friends, and they gave me away.”

Then the witch jeered, “Then go among the foxes!”

When the evening came, the king's son mounted the mare and rode to the field, and the foal followed behind. Again he sat on the mare's back until near midnight, when he fell asleep as before. When he awoke, he found himself riding on the rail and holding the limp empty bridle in his hand.

So he was much frightened, and went to look after the mare. As he went, he remembered the words the old woman had said to the mare, and took the fiery fox's hair our of his handkerchief, rubbing it gently between his fingers. All at once the fox stood before him, and asked crisply, “What is the matter, brother?”

And the prince said, “The old woman's mare has run away with the foal, and I don't know where to look for her.”

Then the fox answered, “She is here, with us! She has turned into a fox, and the foal into a cub. But strike once with the bridle on the ground and shout, ‘Hey! old woman's mare, here!’”

So the king's son struck with the bridle on the ground and cried out, “Hey! old woman's mare, here!” and the mare obeyed and came and stood with her foal near him.

He put the bridle on her, and mounted and rode off home, and the foal followed the mare. When he arrived the old woman gave him his breakfast, but took the mare into the stable and beat her with the poker, crying, “To the foxes, damned one! To the foxes!”

And the mare answered, “I have been with the foxes, but they are his friends, and told him I was there!”

Then the old woman screeched, “If that is so, you must go among the wolves!”

When it grew dark again, the king's son mounted the mare and rode out to the field, and the foal galloped by the side of the mare. Again he sat still on the mare's back till about midnight, when he grew very sleepy and fell into a slumber, as on the former evenings, and when he awoke he found himself riding on the rail, holding the limp empty bridle in his hand, just as before.

Stricken with fear, he went in a hurry to look after the mare. As he went, he remembered the words the old woman had said to the mare, and took the wolf's hair from the handkerchief and rubbed it gently. Then the wolf came up to him and asked, “What is the matter, brother?”

And the prince answered, “The old woman's mare has run away with her foal, and I cannot tell where she is.”

The wolf said, “She is here, with us. She has turned herself into a wolf, and the foal into a wolf's cub. Strike once with the bridle on the ground and cry out, ‘Hey! old woman's mare, here!’”

And the king's son did so, and instantly the mare came again and stood with the foal beside him. So he bridled her, and galloped home, and the foal followed. When he arrived the old woman gave him his breakfast, but she led the mare into the stable and beat her with the poker, crying, “To the wolves, I said, miserable one!”

And the mare answered, “I have been to the wolves, but they are his friends, and they told him all about me!”

Then the old woman came out of the stable, and the king's son said to her, “Well, grandmother, I have served you honestly. Now give me what you promised.”

And the old woman answered reluctantly, “My son, what is promised must be fulfilled. So look here! Here are the twelve horses. Choose the one you like!”

And the prince said, “Why should I be picky? Just give me that leprous horse in the corner! Fine horses are not fitting for me!”

But the old woman pressed hard to persuade him to choose another horse, saying, “How can you be so foolish as to choose that pitiable leprous thing whilst there are such excellent horses here?”

The prince remained firm in his choice, and said to the old woman, “You ought to give me which I choose, for so you promised.”

So, when the old woman found she could not make him change his mind, she gave him the scabby horse, and he took leave of her, and went away, leading the horse by the halter.

When he came to a forest he curried and rubbed down the horse, and soon all the muck and dirt and mud fell off the horse and it shone as bright as the sun. The prince then mounted, and the horse flew like an eagle and in a few seconds brought the king's son to the dragon king's palace.

Rescue

The prince went in and said to the queen, “Get ready right away!” She was soon ready, when they both mounted the horse, and began their journey home. Soon after, the dragon came home, and when he saw the queen had disappeared, said to his horse, “What shall we do? Shall we eat and drink first, or shall we pursue them at once?”

The horse answered, “Whether we eat and drink or not, it is all the same. We shall never reach them.”

When the dragon heard that, he got quickly on his horse and galloped after them. When they saw the dragon following them, they pushed on quicker, but their horse said, “Do not be afraid! There is no need to run away.”

In a very few moments the dragon came very near to them, and his horse said to the prince's horse, “For God's sake, my brother, wait a moment! I shall kill myself running after you!”

The prince's horse answered, “Why are you so stupid as to carry that monster on your back? Fling your heels up and throw him off, and come along with me!”

When the dragon's horse heard that, he shook his head angrily and flung his feet high in the air, so that the dragon fell off and broke in pieces, and his horse came up to them.

Then the queen mounted the dragon king's horse and returned with her beloved husband happily to her kingdom, where they reigned together in great joy and prosperity until the end of time.

Illustrated by Jelena Obradović, a winner of the Golden Pen Plaque at the 8th International Biennal of Illustration and by Dobrosav Živković, for Serbian Fairy Tales book by Creative Centre, Belgrade, Serbia.